Like so many teenage girls, Katelyn is horse crazy. She has
the bug so bad that she has begun collecting items, along with statues and
proper riding attire, for the day she will be a horse owner. Many of us know
this ritual. Katelyn is a natural when it comes to any horsemanship activity. One
only has to explain a technique once and she thoroughly remembers and
understands the process, then works VERY hard to master the skill; the only challenge
she faces more than most of us is getting certain parts of her body to
cooperate. Katelyn lives with cerebral palsy and hearing and vision impairments.
When we
learn how to mount a horse we step into the stirrup and swing our leg over the
cantle, and for most riders that’s not too much to think about. Katelyn, although
she has been riding for over 5 years, still concentrates all her efforts on mounting
her horse. Building her strength by doing leg lifts and other exercises is an
integral part of her riding class that you would not normally associate with a
riding lesson. With three hardy bounces that preface her mount, Katelyn uses
her strength and concentration to hoist her right leg up and over the cantle
with minimal help from her side walker. In addition to mounting, Katelyn is
also perfecting a 2 point position and counting the beats to learn a posting
trot with the help of her side walkers.
When Katelyn
began at Ride On St. Louis (ROSL) she worked with our physical therapist to
stretch muscles just so she could gain the ability to sit astride a horse and Katelyn
has set many milestones and made phenomenal progress. She works meticulously hard
to make these advancements and her goal is to one day ride independently. ROSL
retired a great Quarter Horse, Shamrock, who was push button shown in western
pleasure and, of course, just the type of school master Katelyn and ROSL needs.
ROSL would love to find the right horse to help Katelyn and other riders pursue
their dreams and benefit from this needed therapy. Visit our website
www.rideonstl.org (charitable not-for-profit 501 C3) for more pictures or for
more information if you have the perfect horse for Katelyn, a true equestrian
with a thirst for the how’s and why’s of riding!
